Yesterday we had a nice get together for my Aunts birthday and her grandson. We had pulled pork sandwiches, mac-n-cheese, jello salad, salad and birthday cakes. My family here in Idaho makes a big deal out of birthdays! What was really fun is all my Aunts great grandchildren were there at the same time. They are growing up so fast!
All the Grandchildren with my Aunt
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18New International Version
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Hello to you. How are you? It feels like we are in a time of raining. A generation of people are passing on and also a generation of pets are getting old dog issues. I just had a friend lose her mom. I’m still coming to terms with losing my Dad. Our family dog Spot is having health issues. When it rains it pours.
In all this is finding reasons to be grateful and reasons to be positive. We need to turn to our faith and lean on Jesus more than ever before. All of this is part of life as my Dad used to say to me all the time. My Dad didn’t talk much but when he did he had wise things to say. I’ll never forget the day he and I were sitting on my back porch in Texas and we were talking about God. We agreed God is in everything. This is is so true!
Psalm 37:3-7New International Version
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous rewardshine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Long long time ago! My Auntie sent this to me yesterday and it really resonated with me!
Today is Veterans Day. It feels like another life ago that I was active duty. I don’t miss the job but do miss the people and friends I made. There was such a comraderie amongst us. We were in many ways like family to eachother. When I was overseas this was especially so. I can remember when I first arrived at my first duty station of Travis AFB in California it was around Thanksgiving. I was invited to a coworkers (Sara Sanders) home and that meant so much!
Psalm 33:20-22New International Version
20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
I was up and awake early this morning and was able to join my Aunt at a Sisters of Grace gathering at the Nampa campus of Grace Bible Church. There were so many there they had to pull out an extra table! There were a lot of good messages to go along with the good food and company. My Aunt brought her plum cobbler that was really good!
Grateful by the letters
My favorite subject in school was creative writing. I used to write short stories and still on occasion write poetry. My creative juices are almost dried up these days. The medication I’m on controls the same place my creativity comes from. It’s either be creative and manic or be “normal” and not creative. I don’t want to end up in the hospital again so medication it is! Like some people are diabetic or have heart conditions I am living with a condition that is potentially fatal if it goes untreated. It’s taken a long time for me to accept this truth.
Hello to you. How are you? I’m feeling kind of anxious. I can’t exactly pin point why- which is usually the case when it comes. I have a lot of different things going on that are anxiety provoking right now that I need to be leaning on my faith about! My doctor stopped prescribing what I was taking for anxiety because it was making me gain a whole bunch of weight. So I’m having to deal with the “feels.”
Link was in the groomer mobile getting the works done – she did a great job cleaning up the matting on his arms. He was a good boy!
Pretty boy after his haircut!
Todays prompt made me think of alot of people I love but specifically my Auntie. She is thoughtful, spirited, kind and beautiful. When you need someone in your corner she is a great person to have. We have really gotten close these past couple of years with my living here. She has become more than just my Auntie with the adventures we have been on since I moved here. Every year I’ve been here something has been going on! She has become a guardian (angel) too. The other day she and Uncle John brought over chicken soup and orange juice which was so thoughtful! She tries to get me out to do things I don’t normally do or have stopped doing. She loves finding clothes for me as she knows I hate clothes shopping. I consider her a dear friend in addition to a family member!
Ruth 1:16New International Version
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
Hello to you. How are you? I’m dealing with a cold and cough I picked up somewhere. Probably from stress from stuff I’ve been dealing with lately. No changes on the Dad front – appreciate your prayers and positive messages.
I don’t think I would pay to go to the moon. I have not been in a plane for several years much less contemplating going in a spaceship leaving the planet! I don’t think I could do it. There are so many places on the earth I haven’t been much less paying to go to the moon!
Genesis 1:16New International Version
16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.
Today is a rough day but thankfully I have family to reach out to. My Dad is on his final journey and I feel sad but also feel happy for him – to finally be free of his broken body. Thank God for hospice! My cousins wife reminded me of this scripture that I have Jesus to help me have a sound mind and body to get through this:
2 Timothy 1:7New International Version
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline
Death is typically a big trigger for me so I am remaining vigilante and reaching out when I need to. The last thing we need is a manic episode on top of everything I have going on right now!
I think what I’m most proud of is my resilience. I have been through a lot of difficult situations and yet I have been able to bounce back. A lot of that had to do with my family being loving and patient with me. Having a strong faith in God has helped me too.
James 1:2-4 (NIV) – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”Jul 5, 2023
Today has been good. I went to church and was treated to a surprise breakfast and visit with my cousin and his wife afterwards. We went for a walk tafterwards which normally isn’t as big deal but my back didn’t like it. I wish I could get my breasts reduced, my lower back is chronically bothering me!
Anyhow on the positive side I’ve I been working on reducing belly fat. This workout is really good and easy to stick to.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?
Hello to you. Hope this finds you well. God has been at the wheel of the stuff I’ve been going through lately – extremely grateful for the prayers of family, friends and even strangers! My Aunt met a elderly veteran who gave her this cross for me and said he would pray for me. The wagons of Gods people have been rallied! I’m so, so grateful!
I don’t usually wear crosses because of what they represent – the murder of an innocent man but understand what it means in Christianity.
When I think of todays prompt I think of my life right now gradually getting in place. It’s taken me three years to get where I’m at. Many of the days leading up to this one were littered with fear, sadness and grief – lack of faith! A lot of my days have not very productive and could be perceived as lazy days. I was in such a state of shock leaving Texas. I have been retired from active duty longer than I was in (21 years). When I was active duty I burned the candle at both ends. I was usually the one leadership turned to when a program was a mess. I worked a lot of long days cleaning up messes. Lazy days meant more to me then they do now. I don’t have a specific purpose when I wake up each day! When I was active duty I was up at 4:30 am and worked til after 5.
I haven’t completely found a fit for me here yet in being useful again. A lot of what holds me back is driving. I hate driving! When I was married, Kyle used to always drive and I got used to that after 12 years! I was spoiled! I keep my eyes open for things I can do – little things. When my back is not hurting I would like to help set up at the church again. I don’t want to feel like I’m wasting the gift of my life. A lot of people I’ve known haven’t even lived as long as I have.
One of my favorite passages from the Bible – makes me think of a Palladian (class I played in FFXI video game). In these trying times we must put on our armor!
Ephesians 6:10-13New International Version
The Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
To be 